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The climate crisis demands urgent action to transition to a low carbon future. Canada is going in the wrong direction – we are stuck in the tar sands. The federal and Albertan governments are allowing huge extractions to continue in the tar sands, Canada’s fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions. Our commitment to being an “energy super power” that focuses on export-oriented energy trade is being allowed to trump needed action on climate change and energy security. Climate justice demands that we address the root causes contributing to the climate crisis including unsustainable production, consumption and trade that are driven by corporate led globalization. Real solutions must be based on democratic accountability, ecological sustainability and social justice.
Contrary to mainstream media, the Durban talks did not lead to a breakthrough deal. The Harper government is pleased with the outcome, but in today’s political context, this should raise red flags. Certainly, one could argue that the continuation of the talks (ie., preventing a full blown breakdown of talks) towards a legally binding agreement can be construed as a ‘win’ but this is far fetched faced with what is actually needed. Read more here.
Canadian Civil Society Groups Decry Government Inaction on Climate Change
The Council of Canadians joined with other civil society groups to release a joint statement on the first day of the UN climate negotiations in Durban, South Africa denouncing the Harper government’s inaction on climate change. The statement highlights key examples of how the Canadian government has lost its moral compass on climate change. Signed by organizations and unions representing more than one million Canadians, the statement reads, “The world needs an ambitious, equitable and binding international agreement on climate change. If Canada refuses to lead or follow in this pursuit, we should at least get out of the way.”
Read more about the Durban climate talks in our blog.
Alternative Days: Revolutions Facing Neo-liberalism
The Council of Canadians is joining Alternatives summer camp. Held August 19th to 21t 2011 in Saint Alphonse Rodriguez, Quebec, the theme this year is ‘revolutions facing neo-liberalism’ referring to the ‘Arab Spring’ that has captured the world’s attention. Discussions will aim to define strategy and effective roles for social movements in Canada that are part of this global resistance - movements that strive for social justice and ecological alternatives to unsustainable development. Council of Canadians Energy and Climate Justice Campaigner Andrea Harden-Donahue will join a panel on social movements facing the new conservative majority in Parliament and host a workshop on the Council’s new System Change not Climate Change project. To find out more and to register, go to Alternatives website: here.
Cochabamba +1: Climate Justice and Ecological Alternatives: An international conference focusing on: Mobilizing against the effects of shale gas exploration and the tar sands; Transition towards a carbon-free economy and industrial conversions; Ecological crises and people's alternatives. The Council of Canadians partnered on this important conference organized by Alternatives and Canadian Dimension and held in held in Montreal from
April 15-17, 2011. Find out more here.
Andrea Harden-Donahue speaks of global North South Solidarity and building the Canadian climate justice movement
On March 1st, the Council of Canadians joined an international day of action to call on the WB to stop funding fossil fuels by participating in an e-action targeting the World Bank on their facebook page and blog and over twitter. You can see the photos here.
In the lead up to preparatory climate talks in Bangkok, Thailand, the Council of Canadians joined organizations from around the world in sending a letter to the Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change opposing the role of the World Bank as an interim trustee for the Green Climate Fund, and calling for strict limits on this rule. Read the letter here.
Developed countries (Global North) are responsible for emitting more than two-thirds of historic greenhouse gas emissions into an atmosphere that all life shares. Meanwhile, developing countries (Global South) are being hit first and hardest by the ecological and social impacts of climate change. Mobilization of finance in the scale of hundreds of billions per year from the Global North to the South is needed to cover the full costs of enabling people to deal with the immediate as well as long term impacts of climate change.
The WB is recognised as one of the main drivers of the current unsustainable economic and development model that has brought the planet to the edge of collapse. Its internal governance is undemocratic and not representing the voices of the Global South, which suffer most of the impacts of climate change. Its policies and programs are part of the problem and cannot become today the needed solution. The WB has been a main institution used to enforce structural adjustment, privatization and deregulation. The extent to which the WB continues to invest in fossil fuels at a time when we must transition off of fossil fuel dependency is further evidence that the WB is a poor vehicle for meeting climate financing commitments.
Unfortunately, the wrong decision was made in Cancun. The Cancun agreement established a Green Climate Fund (GCF). The WB was invited to serve as the interim trustee of the Green Climate Fund. The Council of Canadians joins many organizations internationally that will continue to oppose the WB’s role in climate finance, demanding instead alternative mechanisms and public sources of funds for climate financing commitments. We will be monitoring and responding to the WB’s actions with the Green Climate Fund.
Background information on WB fossil fuel investments and the WB Energy Strategy
The WB has ear-marked massive funds for investment in fossil fuels, especially large coal projects. Since 2007 the WB Group has provided $6.6 billion for coal-based energy development. This strategy locks developing countries into carbon intensive energy models for decades instead of helping Global South countries to make the transition to sustainable energy production.
The latest illustration of the bank’s climate-damaging lending is the Eskom project in South Africa, to which the WB approved a $3.75 billion loan in April. Most of the money will be used for the building of the Medupi power plant, one of the largest and dirtiest coal fired plants in the world.
Council of Canadians taking action in Cancun and Canada
The climate crisis demands urgent action, but Canada is going in the wrong direction. The Canadian government remains committed to being an energy superpower focused on export-oriented energy trade, allowing this to trump much needed action on climate change and energy security. As the climate change crisis continues to grow, Canadians must demand urgent action from their government.
The Council of Canadians was in Cancun, Mexico for the UN climate negotiations which took place from November 29 to December 10, 2010. The Council of Canadians, along with working with allies, social justice organizations, environmental groups and thousands of concerned people as part of a burgeoning grassroots climate justice movement is demand “system change, not climate change.”
During the UN climate negotiations held in Cancun from November 29 to December 10, 2010, the Council of Canadians joined by the Indigenous Environmental Network, KAIROS and the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition, hosted People's Assemblies on Climate Justice across Canada.
Why wait for governments to take action? It is the collective voice of people that can help make climate justice a reality.
Learn more about the assemblies and see highlights here »
Results of an Environics Research poll just prior to the November 29 to December 10, 2010 UN climate negotiations suggest that the Canadian public has far different priorities than the government when it comes to climate change.
Over 80 percent of Canadians agree that too much focus on economic growth and consumerism is a root cause of climate change. They also affirm that industrialized countries – which have historically produced the most greenhouse gas emissions – bear the most responsibility for reducing emissions.
Read the media release here and read the poll backgrounder here.
Council of Canadians taking action in Cochabamba
The climate justice movement grew dramatically in strength during the Copenhagen climate negotiations. While official talks failed to produce a strong agreement on deep emission cuts, the global mobilization for climate justice continues to grow.
To advance an agenda based on effective and just solutions to the climate crisis, the Bolivian, government hosted a Peoples’ Conference on Climate Change and Rights of Mother Earth April 19-22, 2010. Alongside an open invitation to social movements, civil society and environmental organizations, academics and scientists, all 192 governments in the UN have been invited to attend and encouraged to listen to the voices of civil society.
The Council of Canadians National Chairperson Maude Barlow and staff members Brent Patterson, Anil Naidoo and Andrea Harden-Donahue were in Cochabamba to host a workshop, issue regular posts including news updates, action alerts, media releases, blogs and more.
Vancouver Report Back from the People's Climate Summit in Cochabamba
June 10, 2010 report back meeting, organized by Canada-Bolivia Solidarity Committee from participants at the World People's Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth April 22, 2010 in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Filmed by Working TV
The Council of Canadians was on the ground in Copenhagen from December 11-19, 2009. We monitored negotiations, inserted ourselves in the debate, spoke to the media, and participated in events focused on climate justice, water justice and the tar sands – a massive, environmentally destructive project and a primary reason why the Canadian government is refusing to commit to meaningful emission reductions.
The Council of Canadians joined hundreds of thousands of voices around the world in calling for a strong international agreement with deep emission cuts that advances climate justice.
While in Copenhagen Council of Canadians National Chairperson Maude Barlow and staff members Brent Patterson, Anil Naidoo and Andrea Harden-Donahue issued regular posts here including news updates, action alerts, media releases, blogs and more.
Council of Canadians background paper for COP15: Critical components for a strong international climate agreement
The Council of Canadians joined millions of voices in Copenhagen and around the world December 7-19 demanding action for an effective global climate agreement addressing the climate crisis. This background paper outlines some of the key points our organization believes is necessary for a strong international climate agreement with deep emission cuts that advances climate justice.
December 12, 2009 marked a global day of action with international demonstrations on climate change at the time of the United Nations Talks on climate change (COP15) in Copenhagen Denmark.
Thank you to everyone who participated! Click here to view event photos.
There can be no doubt that the climate crisis demands urgent action at all levels of government - federal, provincial, and municipal - to make the necessary transition to a low carbon future. Mayors of the largest cities in Europe and the United States have recently co-authored a mutual appeal titled, 'The Stockholm Appeal on Climate Change' which provide a powerful statement of intent to national governments in the weeks prior to the climate summit in Copenhagen.
Similar action is needed at the municipal level in Canada. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has already indicated that he will not attend the climate summit and has stated that an agreement there is unlikely.
Take action: get your municipality to endorse an emergency climate action resolution
It is important for the Canadian delegation to arrive at the upcoming UN climate change conference talks in Copenhagen which run from December 7-18, 2009, with commitments to legally binding, science-based greenhouse gas reduction targets. Bill C-311, The Climate Change Accountability Act, compels the implementation of a comprehensive plan and a set reporting schedule to achieve emission reductions of 25 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050.
The Council of Canadians sent a email to all Members of Parliament on Friday, October 16, 2009 urging them to oppose any extension that will delay the passage of the Climate Change Accountability Act. Instead, Members of Parliament must ensure that Bill C-311 is passed in time for Copenhagen. Click here to read email.
October 24, 2009 marked an international day of climate action. It took place six weeks before COP15, (the United Nations Framework on Climate Change meeting to be held in Copenhagen, December 7-18.) People around the world demanded action reducing emissions in line with what science says is necessary. Canadians from coast-to-coast responded, and united to demand that Canada be part of the climate change solution, not the problem.
Watch CTV Atlantic coverage ofClimate (of) Change: rally for people and the planet by visiting the following website (click on CTV Atlantic: Dina Bartolacci on the rallies).
Also included at this link is coverage of actions inVancouver & other areas of B.C., Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Halifax as well as a number of interviews on October 24 actions including one with Joanna Dafoe (350.org Canadian organizer)
Thank you to everyone who participated! Click here to view event photos.
Climate (of) Change: Working Towards Climate Justice and Green Jobs
Download: Factsheet | Handbill
For more information
Energy Blog: For ongoing information and updates about the Council of Canadians’ energy campaign visit our new energy blog at www.canadians.org/energyblog. Blogged by Andrea Harden-Donahue, the Council of Canadians' energy campaigner.
Call 1-800-387-7177, or email inquiries@canadians.org, for more information. Click here to become a member of the Council of Canadians.
Results of an Environics Research poll just prior to the November 29 to December 10, 2010 UN climate negotiations suggest that the Canadian public has far different priorities than the government when it comes to climate change.
VIDEO: Rob Hopkins, co-founder of Transition Town Totnes and of the Transition Network, Devon, U.K. pre-recorded presentation shown at the Council of Canadians' Annual General Meeting, October 23, 2010
VIDEO: Hundreds of Thousands of Canadians Call for Urgent Action on Climate Change on the opening day of of the Copenhagen Climate Summit, December 7, 2009
VIDEO:
Climate justice in Copenhagen with Maude Barlow, November 2009
